Letter to parents of Year 11 students – 12th November 2020

Dear parents/carers,

Following notification of another case of Covid-19 in Year 11 we asked all Year 11 students to study at home on Wednesday 11^th November.  This was to allow sufficient opportunity to carry out a full investigation to identify all the potential contacts.  However, whilst that investigation was being carried out we received notification of two additional cases. As a result of these additional cases, we requested that students learn at home on Thursday 12^th November as well.

We are doing everything we can to keep all our students learning in school but have to put the health of members of the school community, as well as the wider community, first. As before, we have been working closely with Public Health Oldham and Oldham Learning (The LA’s education board) and have been following their advice.

The investigation has identified around 100 students as close contacts or possible close contacts of one of the latest cases.  The majority of these students are on the ‘Torch’ side of the year group (this is often referred to at the ‘T’ side).

As a result, we have taken the decision to ask all Year 11 on the T side to learn from home and to return to learning in school on 23^rd November. 

All Year 11 students fall into one of three groups:

Group 1 – students who have been identified as ‘close contacts’ of a positive Covid-19 case. These students should self-isolate in-line with government guidance and should continue to learn via the remote curriculum, using the paper curriculum packs, recorded lessons and feedback forms on Frog, Guided Learning Pages and emailed resources from their teachers.

Group 2 – students who are on the T side of the year group who have NOT been identified as ‘close contacts’ of a positive case of Covid-19. These students DO NOT need to self-isolate in-line with government guidance but should continue to learn via the remote curriculum, using the paper curriculum packs, recorded lessons and feedback forms on Frog, Guided Learning Pages and emailed resources from their teachers.

Group 3 – students who are not required to isolate and are on the Flame (F) side of the year group.  These student can return to school as before on Friday 13^th November.  

We will be sending text messages to each family notifying them of which group their child falls into.

Our online learning provision is ‘device neutral’ so everything can be accessed on any device with students working both online and on paper. Full details of our remote provision can be found here: https://theradclyffeschool.co.uk/distance-learning-provision-november-2020/

Information about Covid-19 symptoms and management of the virus can be found here, www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/.

If your child has been asked to isolate, please try not to worry. For most people Covid-19 is a mild illness.  If you or your child develops symptoms please contact NHS 111 or your GP.

If you have any questions or concerns please refer to the government website, www.gov.uk/coronavirus or you can contact me by emailing admin@theradclyffeschool.co.uk.

Yours sincerely,

 

Mr M Halls

Deputy Headteacher